Current Challenge – Running The Summits

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Whew…..first part of the challenge – route planning, logistics, setting up social media, blog and charity giving site finally completed…..the small matter of running 505 miles whilst climbing three mountains should be a piece of cake from here on…..talking of cake here is my super easy recipe for power flapjack bars that can be made easily with only a camping stove (did i mention i spend alot of my time living in a camper van!?) I will also be camping at some point during my challenge run and needing to replenish flapjack supplies, obviously!….

Melt the butter slowly with the golden syrup in a pan over a low heat. (I removed the usual sugar from the standard flapjack recipe as it just doesnt need it, these are sweet enough, with a kick of energy without getting a heady sugar rush). When fully melted and warm, add the rolled oats and give it a really good mix. Now is where you can get creative…mix in a handful of your favourite trail mix items- finely chopped nuts and dried fruits, seeds etc- you can vary these to provide different flavoured flapjacks.

Separately, chop up the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. (Never try to melt chocolate directly in the pan – it will burn, which is not only a tragic waste of chocolate but a pain in the tentpeg to get off your camping pan!)

Finally, mix the melted chocolate into the oaty, nutty, fruity mix and bind it together well. You can now shape it into your preferred snack shape and size – bars, patties, cubes or balls. Wrap these individually in cling film to hold together and protect you and everything around you from chocolaty sticky goo while they cool and set. Warning- this part is a bit messy.

They will set overnight in a cool tent though perhaps store them further away if there is a possibility of bears in your camp ! These power flapjacks dont need to be baked and when the chocolate resets they hold their solid form perfectly for your rucksack picnic the next day or three…..lush!

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A little bit more about the incredible work of the inspiring volunteers who give their time and skills to help people in need, save lives and protect our beautiful outdoor places for us all to experience and enjoy.

Fix the Fells

Protecting the spectacular Lakeland fells through maintaining and improving paths, reducing erosion, helping to protect local ecology and heritage and improving water quality. Find out more about their great work and how you could get involved here . Remember to come back to this site to help out with a donation

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team

The LMRT are one of the UK’s busiest mountain rescue team attending around 90 callouts a year, the majority on Ben Nevis itself. The team are all unpaid volunteers who sacrifice their time and safety to help others. Find out more about their incredible commitment here . Remember to come back to this site to help out with a donation

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team

The team of 40 fell going volunteers and several base operators have been assisting people in the western fells of the Lake District, including on England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, for almost 50 years. Their mission is to save life and alleviate distress in hostile and mountainous areas. You can find out more on their website here. Remember to come back to this site to help out with a donation

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation (OVMRO), or Sefydliad Achub Mynydd Dyffryn Ogwen as they are known in the native Welsh language (easy for them to say!) is a voluntary mountain rescue team responding to incidents in the northern Snowdonia region. Another busy team, they are on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are very proud of the voluntary tradition of the mountain search and rescue service. Team members are all mountaineers with vast local knowledge and first aid training. Have a look at their great work here. Remember to come back to this site to help out with a donation

SARDA

Search and Rescue dogs are employed in a wide range of scenarios to locate missing people, in the mountains, moors, countryside, towns and villages as well as on collapsed buildings or in water. With their amazing sense of smell, speed and agility these remarkable dogs can typically do the work of 20 foot searchers and many more in poor conditions or at night. Find out more about them here . Remember to come back to this site to help out with a donation

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These super helpful websites have a ton of free info and advice on enjoying the outdoors with confidence. With free downloads and social connections, plus how to get involved to protect your own great outdoors these are some top resources. If you are planning your own 3 Peaks Challenge or outdoors fund raising event there is also a lot of help here to organise it safely and responsibly……good luck and #getoutdoors

MountainSafety.co.uk

A fantastic wealth of information on this great site whose aim is to provide a free resource for people to learn and be more fully prepared for their outdoors adventures in the hills and mountains of the UK. Advice on everything from how to best pack your rucksack, great lunch treats, or how to safely move on challenging terrain and avoid common hazards. Check it out here

Walkhighlands.co.uk.

Walkhighlands is the busiest outdoors website in Scotland. Their mission is to encourage the enjoyment of walking through being the best information resource and social network for walking in Scotland They are a great source for info on routes, with downloads, podcasts and advice on safety, skills and navigation. It is also a great social forum to log and share experiences. You can explore the site here

Mountain Weather Information Service

An essential portal for all hill goers from novice walkers to experienced mountain goers. Detailed, relevant and up to date forecasting for specific upland areas. Get the latest forecasts here

Three Peaks Partnership

The three peaks partnership exists to protect the stunning landscapes that are home to the three highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales. Made up of organisations and charities that manage these regions they aim to provide the help and assistance needed to ensure those undertaking the National 3 Peaks Challenge can do so in a way that means these iconic mountains can be enjoyed for years to come. But they are also an invaluable source of information for any walkers visiting the regions. Find out more about these beautiful places here

The Real 3 Peaks Challenge

This great well supported project, the brainchild of popular mountain guide Richard Pyne aims to educate visitors on the importance of maintaining mountain and upland environments. Every year volunteer teams trek to the tops of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon on the same day to remove as much discarded litter as possible from the summits and hiking paths. Removing well over 500kg from the peaks last year they made front page news by discovering a sex toy on top of the mountain! Other unusual finds include a pair of boots, a handbag, a porcelain toilet, several garden gnomes and an ornamental bench! Check out their Facebook page where you can also sign up to join the 5th annual event this year on October 7th here

The BMC

The BMC is a representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers. They are a phenomenal resource for all things hill-going as well as producing some incredible and inspiring outdoor films that can be viewed via their website and they work very hard to protect our beautiful upland and mountain environments. The BMC produces a number of good practice Green Guides which give a wide range of super useful info on topics from how to minimise your impact in the hills, staying safe or how to spot rare species. The guides are free and can be downloaded, click on the cover photos below to see them at the BMC along with a rucksack load of other info!

New to the outdoors or planning your own adventure challenge? Some great advice in these downloadable guides.